u guys rock i hope that i get to help you guys in a big way when I grow up

Posted by: Meley | July 18, 2008 05:56 PM

Hey PETA, Anytime fish are transferred suddenly from one environment to another they are really very stressed and usually face increased mortality rates as a result. I am sure your staffers did the best they could and any new tank is better than a dry bag. However, your post made it seem like wisking fish around from place to place was okay, so long as you put a decoration in the tank.

It would be so helpful if people REALLY knew how sensitive fish are. They are not just 'intelligent' they are largely made up of water. When their water environment changes pH, mineral hardness, or temperture it forces their bodies thru extreme physical stress to reach equilibrium again.

PETA should campaign to improve information provided by fish retailers to inform their buyers about the fish better. Although I no longer purchase anything from PETCO or PetSmart (their fish are usually diseased and stressed)I have bought fish in both stores. Their staff routinly give out bad advice. The staff will sell people fish for a single community tank that belong in two totally different water environments. They will sell soft water fish for a hard water tank and tell a buyer it does not mater. This forces the fish to suffer and die slowly or live in marginal conditions.

Information readily available on fish websites and in books is not available at the point of purchase when people are selecting fish. Even if the lables on the tanks had a little symbol for the water type the fish prefer so buyers could select fish that belong in the same water things could be much better.

I have been repeatedly told by staffers at the stores...not to worry..if the fish dies, bring it back and they will replace it. Not only is the fish likely to die from sudden water changes...it is going to suffer. If also been told not to buy medications for minor aliments becuase it would be cheaper to replace the fish.

On a lighter note and some fun look up clicker training for fish...or see http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuLctFODsTc&feature=related

Fish really are pretty amazing and they belong out in the real world where they get environemntal enrichment at a level they were adapted for. Putting an oscar fish in a tank is about the same as putting a chicken in a cage without anything to do or interact with. Working to protect wild fish habitats is critical in many parts of the world.

Wild guppies are highly selective and work with each other to avoid predators. There really are no dumb fish becuase the wild world they are from is complex.

People should also research any fish they think they might buy or adopt. Some fish are imported from wild stocks in Indonesia and Africa. Even though the retailers claim they are not selling wild fish....they do. The people in the countries that have the fish collect the fish as babies from the wild and take them to a fish farm where they are raised to commercial size. Then they are shipped to US stores as farmed fish. There are fish species known to have NEVER reproduced in captivity that are retailed in stores. How can the fish be 'farm raised' if they do not reproduce in captivity. If you go to PetSmart today and ask the staff if the Burmese Clown Loaches are 'wild' they will say no...all the fish are farmed. This is absolutly not true, Loaches are wild bred only.

Another amazing thing is there is no place to easily take unwanted fish. I think people routinely 'dump' fish becuase there is no rescue organization ready to accept them. I'd say the retailers should have a return policy...but becuase the retailers kill more fish than anybody that would be pointless. I see regular ads on Craigslist for fish that need rehoming. I have myself taken many fish from garage sales that were going to be dumped. It's so sad people do not understand that the fish are sensitive and they are not just disposable products. I took an oscar fish that was in a class room from a teacher that was going to dump her as soon as the kids left for summer break. I have had this fish for 12 YEARS! I had to buy an above ground pond to keep her in...and she is highly interactive. Some fish can live 20 years and longer. People really need to think twice before putting a fish like that thru years of isolation and environmental deprivation. Some animals are not appropriate for pets ever....like wild fish.

If you do keep fish challenge all your assuptions about what they are like and create a stimulating enviroment for them. Some like to try and 'catch' their food. Some really like a complex tank where they can weave through and around a maze of tank furniture. Others like company and an open tank to schoal in. I made a little thing that is basically like a kong for a dog, and my oscar gets really exceited when I load it with food and let her work for a meal. Treat your fish like other pets and make no assumptions about them being dumb.

The up side of keeping fish is they teach us so much about water quality and the impact it has on life. I do think all children should have the experience of caring for some fish. It teaches them about the environment. Without a true understanding of how fish can die if the water is low oxygen or polluted I do not think they learn the importance of taking are of the environment. If we humans do not learn about the environment there will be no fish anywhere. Raising fish that are fairly well adapted to captive life is much better than keeping the truely wild ones that just suffer mentally the whole time they survive in a tank. Kind of like the difference between keeping a domestic cat and keeping a wild bob-cat.

Posted by: sundance | July 18, 2008 08:59 PM

nice story...u guys do great work and i commend you on most of what you do, but you're freakin crazy!!!

Posted by: animal lovaaa | July 19, 2008 12:00 AM

Awesome, it's great to hear a happy ending. How cruel for Wal-mart to suffocate them and not even try to give them away or sell them out. I guess it's just business as usual.

Posted by: Cathy | July 19, 2008 12:42 AM

This seems like a good thing. I wonder why they didn't make some effort to place the fish prior to PETA's invitation?

Posted by: Christopher Cochran MD | July 19, 2008 01:11 AM

Those poor little fishes. It was good you saved them all. I was going to offer to take care of some since I have some fish.

Posted by: Danielle | July 19, 2008 01:30 AM

Aaaaaaaw! I loved this story. And a beautiful image you gave us, Jennifer! I can actually feel and hear the water gurgling and see the little guys jumping and swimming from here!

Posted by: lynda downie | July 19, 2008 01:53 AM

Yay!!!

Posted by: Canaduck | July 19, 2008 03:05 AM

i just wish a world with no animal abuse,child abuse and adultery,why cant we just get along animals love us but most of us dont love them back im a BIG animal luver plz help the animals plz

Posted by: shawnee | July 19, 2008 03:13 AM

You guys warm my heart with stories like this. Thanks, PETA staffers!

There needs to be a radical change in how exotic pet owners buy animals. We need to start a "homeless fish" online shelter, that will prevent pet stores from selling fish. This can apply for reptiles, birds, etc.

Pet stores breed exotic animals to live in cages, and others take them right out of the wild. We can put a stop to this by only adopting out exotics already in people's homes.

Posted by: Maya, C.V.T. | July 19, 2008 11:51 AM

If PETA never advocates putting any fish in a tank, why did the PETA staffers have aquariums in the first place to house the WalMart fish?

Posted by: David | July 19, 2008 01:28 PM

That's great! It's nice to see Wal-Mart do something decent for a change, although I still hate everything Wal-Mart stands for.

Posted by: Beckie Mayfield | July 19, 2008 07:54 PM

So, do you have a planned release into the wild for them soon?

Posted by: Nunya | July 19, 2008 11:16 PM

thats great!!! I also want to say if you guys need homes for any fish or snails please email me i have many spacious fish tanks in my house waiting for accupants. thanks.

P.S. seriously email me i am ready to help.

Posted by: brooke meservey | July 19, 2008 11:40 PM

You know I can't stand Walmart for a number of reasons from it's support of humnan rights violations to the slaughter and degradation of civilians in Africa directly caused by the company and its greed. And hearing about what they were going to do with this marine life doesn't surprise me at all, after all their track record clearly shows it's the company way.

This shopper would be doing the world a service by no longer shopping at Walmart. That aside I'm so glad PETA once again stepped in to save the day. I know PETA's been linked to some wrong doing or questionable activity in the past but a few bad seeds does not make a bad organization in my opinion. And some bad choices in the past does not mean the future is set in stone and that changes can't be made. So once again thank you to everyone involved.

Posted by: UnderMySkinner | July 20, 2008 09:38 AM

Sundance, I loved your comment. I learned a ton reading it. I hope there are in fact online pet adoption places.

They were selling their fish at a garage sale? That is so sad. Wouldn't it be so hysterical to suggest that someone put out their dog at a garage sale and put a price on him? Well, it's no less outrageous to sell a pet fish that way.

I won't sleep properly until all pet stores are shut down. Selling exotic animals is unacceptable. In the meantime, fish that are pets need people like Sundance to teach them true, proper care. The pet store information is the absolute worst.

And breeding in captivity is just as bad as poaching them from the wild.

ps Never release an exotic pet into the wild; they will die and will spread captivity-based diseases to the entire population of wild animals.

Posted by: Maya, C.V.T. | July 20, 2008 06:15 PM

Walmart should not be allowed to carry fish in the first place.I finally reported a local walmart to PETA myself a couple of years ago after months of reporting condition of fish to manager to no prevail.Finally after a phone call to PETA,this particular Walmart had all their fish removed.Never knew for a fact that PETA was behind that,but I believe so.So I thank you PETA!

Posted by: angie from Richmond, Virginia | July 21, 2008 04:00 AM

Thanks to that costumer too

Posted by: liliana | July 21, 2008 07:19 AM

Ah, I see there is an exception to EVERY rule! If someone were buying one of these little fish, that would be so terrible. But since PETA raced into action and saved all these darling little fish and snails- now that they are stting pretty in their tanks- that is the exception to the rule.

I don't think that PETA does an extremely good job of educating people. I did not ever know that having a pet fish could be harmful to it's life.

PETA should do a better job of getting the word out. I never hear anyone speak of PETA and the only way I find things out is because I am smart enough to get on the website. But you can't blame people when they are ignorant to the the things ya'll speak about. Do your job and educate. I don't see PETA anywhere but on the net complaining and wondering why people are so ignorant to the things PETA is against.

Posted by: Brandie R | July 21, 2008 02:35 PM

Maya, Actually I have mostly seen at garage sales where the people are selling the 'tank'. Funny people do not actually try and sell the fish too often. If you ask to see the tank...it sometimes has fish in it! I once saved fish the owner had put in a bucket while he was busy selling the tank.
Yes it's pretty much like putting a dog house for sale in your yard with the dog chained to it. When some body decides to buy the dog house you take the dog out back and kill it. That is mostly what happens to fish when people move.

There is such a thing as humane euthanasia for fish. Really 'dry bagging' fish should be illegal. Dumping in the toilet is also very cruel. WalMart could have easily asked a vet to the store and the vet could have given humane euthanasia to the fish in the store. It is not very expensive or difficult to do it right. A few drops of a certain additive is all it takes to put the fish 'to sleep' peacefully. There is no excuse for making the fish suffer, certainly it is no fault of theirs that they ended up in a store's discontinued rack.

It's too bad there is not a Mickaboo (Parrot Rehoming and Rescue) for fish.

Many fish people are aware of their fishes needs, its the general pet owning public (and the retailers) who are completely in the dark ages. On-line you can find much information about care and humane treatment. I believe if the retailers had a more enlightened attitude they would mentor the pet buyers about humane treatment. Instead the retailers are total A-holes and people never get any idea that their fish friends are just like any other pet and need compassionate care for their entire life.

As a protest we could get alot of really hot babes to stage in faux bags and act like suffocating fish. Maybe people could understand that.

Posted by: sundance | July 21, 2008 02:47 PM

Sundance, where are you located?

You know about Mickaboo! I am like their biggest fan!

They are THE BEST EVER rescue for birds, they rescue my favorites, parakeets.

They go to chain pet stores and look for birds in distress, just everything and they do it.

I wish I could volunteer for them. I am in the Midwest though and they are in San Fran area. I donate when I can, but have more time than money. MICKABOO ROCKS!

Posted by: Tamara | July 22, 2008 05:16 PM

I wish I could help as well. I will donate when im older for sure. YOU GUYS ROCK!

Posted by: Anon | July 27, 2008 06:59 PM

Walmart is still selling fish...a friend of mine bought a Betta there and he/she was sold in a small plastic container with an inch or two of cloudy water!!!! What can be done to stop Walmart from selling fish besides sending a letter to the CEO of Walmart?

Posted by: Nicole G. | August 18, 2008 10:35 AM

Hi, everyone..

First off, I was wondering how to go about filing a complaint report upon Wal*Mart for their fish abuse. For weeks, I've been calling, leaving messages, & being put on hold as if it doesn't matter.

The story is like this.. I live in Elgin, IL and the closest Wal*Mart to our house has the worst looking fish living conditions around. My younger sister and I recently 'saved' 4 green spotted puffer fish from the store & spoke with the manager in trying them to not purchase any more. Their tank was covered in their own waste, dead green spotted puffer fish, tons and tons of green alge to the point where it was growing OVER the dead fish, AND they had not been feeding the fish.
I went back last night to look at the fish conditions and it seems they've put More puffer fish in the tank (babies) and more of their other fish are suffering. They now have Lobsters in tanks with the fish & are being sold as tank makes.. in these small 2.5 gallon tanks.. even as the lobsters are around 7 inches long in some cases & stuck under the filters.
I'm going back today to talk again with the manager. Our puffer fish are doing much better & are bigger & healthier in their 2, 10 gallon tanks.. But I want it to stop. It's sad and disgusting. :(

Posted by: Christina | September 18, 2008 08:22 AM

The Champaign/Urbana IL walmart stores fish tanks are a very depressing sight. Its obvious nobody ever does much more than add water and the betas (fighting fish) are kept in little plastic dixie cup size containers without air holes.

80% of the fish are always ill looking and seen eating their own dead which happens then there is zero food.

I have spoken to management a few times to no avail.

Just seems weird to me people don't seem to me Walmart doesn't take better care which would translate into profit.

Posted by: Tom | September 22, 2008 04:31 AM